Body confirmed to be missing deputy

John Salazar was a 27-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, working at Bexar County.

Photo By Courtesy

John Salazar

Photo By Courtesy

John Salazar

Bexar County officials Friday confirmed the body found in a car near Levi Strauss Park on the West Side was that of John Salazar.

Salazar was a 27-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, working at Bexar County Jail. He disappeared last week, last seen running errands in the Las Palmas area.

His body was found Wednesday night near a police training facility in the 5800 block of Old Highway 90 West in a blue 2000 Nissan Sentra registered to a family member.

The discovery came six days after he last was seen, and less than 5 miles from his house.

The medical examiner has not released any information on the cause or manner of death.

Salazar's son, John Salazar Jr., said the family members had held out hope he'd return home safely. They had made plans for a vigil to be presided over by a pastor close to the family, but then came the grim discovery.

“We as a family know it's him,” Salazar Jr. said the day before the body was identified, “but we can't say so yet.”

Now, a vigil that was meant to provide hope will be used to celebrate Salazar Sr.'s life, his son said.

It's set for 8 p.m. Saturday at the family residence, at 142 Wallace Street, and will be open to the public.